Does New U2 Single "Get On Your Boots" Kick It?
Trippy Sonic Landscapes Dominate New Track from Bono & the Boys
This is what we were waiting for? "Get on Your Boots," The first single from U2's forthcoming album, "No Line on the Horizon," came out today. Our one-sentence synopsis: it's a cross between "Vertigo" and Escape Club's one and only hit, "Wild, Wild West"
"Boots" opens with a drum blast from Larry Mullen Jr. and never gives up, but it doesn't really build either. Instead, it weaves in and out of several different styles and themes. Lyrically, Bono veers from addressing the addled world politic to declaring "Let me in the sound" to crooning "You don't know how beautiful you are."
Rather than a cohesive song with a traditional verse and chorus, Bono and the boys from Dublin have given us a mash up of various electronic sonic soundscapes united by Edge's always inspired guitar playing. Sadly, it's more interesting to dissect it than feel any emotional connection to it.
The world could use a unifying anthem from U2-not that we've worn out "Pride (In the Name of Love," by any means-and this ain't it. We have a hunch there are songs like that on the new album based on what we knew, but, an act like U2 doesn't trot out the album's masterpiece as the first single. So we've been given this warm-up act of a song.
U2 has seldom played it safe and they don't here, but they don't create anything particularly inventive here. This one will go over better live than on disc and, in the meantime, we'll bide our time until March 3, when "Horizon" is released.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupJH315
January 19, 2009 at 6:41PM EST Reply to CommentMeinda, since you and I are the only ones who discuss U2, I'll throw in. :)
I agree it's not an overly emotional song, but it is different. Or rather, different for U2. The last album was a happy marriage between The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. This album, at least from the first taste, sounds very different, which may prove to be an exciting shift. I remember listening to Pop for the first time and hating it, but it's grown into a challenging record that I really enjoy. Maybe the same case here.
Chefenreffer
January 20, 2009 at 12:15AM EST Reply to CommentSpot on, Melinda. By my third listen, all I could do was pull out certain elements I liked; while realizing I wasn't completely falling in love, with the song.
I love the production, on the track; and the band sounds inspired. Bono's voice sounds better than it has in a few years.
What keeps me, from going over the moon for this song is I keep getting distracted, into hearing all the influences. The lyric delivery of the verses hearkens back to "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and "It's the End of the World As We Know It", in some sections; while other sections steal directly from Elvis Costello's "Pump It Up".
Musically, the guitar part does sound very much like Vertigo, while roughly halfway through the song Larry breaks out the beat to Led Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks".
Overall I like the song; but like you, Melinda, I'm thinking the rest of the album will have far more sbstance to offer...
Looking forward to March 3rd.
lemniskate
January 20, 2009 at 8:59AM EST Reply to Commentyou'd have a lot more credibility if you got the drummer's name right.
drew
January 20, 2009 at 1:21PM EST Reply to CommentStill haven't heard it (probably won't until after Park City), but I almost never think the first single on a U2 album is particularly strong. Bring on the entire thing, and then let's see what's what.
melinda
January 20, 2009 at 8:54PM EST Reply to CommentLemniskate- what's an extra S between friends? Seriously, thanks for the catch! I was typing a little too fast and furiously. Mullen is, indeed, a singular sensation.
Thanks for reading.
Melinda
Fletcher Hanks
January 24, 2009 at 7:59PM EST Reply to CommentIt's not bad. But I find that the first single released from any band is usually not the best thing on the album. And with U2, you really need to hear the whole album to know where they are at.